OKEECHOBEE – May 6-11 is Nurses Week in Okeechobee County. At their April 27 meeting, the Okeechobee County Commissioners issued a proclamation honoring nurses.

According to the staff report, National Nurses Week celebrates and acknowledges nurses and the hard work they put into making their patients feel comfortable. This year, 2023, the theme for Nurses week is “You Make A Difference”. This was selected to encourage nurses, individuals, employers, other health care professionals, and community leaders, such as yourself, to recognize and promote the vast contributions and positive impact of America’s nurses. This year is critically important to boost the morale of the nurses as they have consistently and diligently been working all through, and during the aftermath of the pandemic.

“The American Nurses Association, as the voice for registered nurses in this

country, is working to chart a new course for a healthy nation that relies on increasing access to primary and preventive health care, and better utilization of all of our nation’s registered nursing resources,” the proclamation states.

“Professional nursing is an indispensable component of the safety and quality
of care of hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients, and the demand for qualified registered nurses will be greater than ever due to the aging of the American population, emerging health challenges, the continuing expansion of life-sustaining technologies, and the explosive growth of home health care services,” the proclamation continues.

“Along with the American Nurses Association, the Florida Nurses Association has declared May 6 through 12, as Nurses Week, with the theme ‘You Make a Difference’ with appreciation for nurses’ unparalleled impact during the pandemic, and their contributions to health care, with an open invitation to ‘Thank a Nurse’ for enriching our lives and the world we live in.”

Commissioner Chair David Hazellief said at the beginning of the covid pandemic he found himself in a tiny room being cared for by medical professionals who were in protective gear. “I may not recognize you, but you probably saved my life and I appreciate it,” he said.